Improvement in saw-cleaners for cotton-gins



W. W. BRIGG. SawC1eaner for Cotton-Girls.

No. 220,957. Patented Oct. 28, |879.

'l lTo all 'whom itmay concern;- i

Be it known that INVI'LLIAM WHITELEY BRIGG, of thev city of Charlotte,county, of

.rlllecklenburg, and'State of NorthA Carolina,

n t On the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is -a transverse section of somuch of a cottongan as is necessary for-theunderstanding of "myinvention gjand gs. 2,3, 4, and 5 'a'rede- "tail views of the saniesaw-cleaner, showing .its constructiml and its mode o't attachment tothe brushlcy'inder.

The objectof my inventionis to supply a cheap and durable substituteforthe bristle and steel brushes heretofore used for keeping clean the sawsof a cotton-gin and propelling the cotton -into the lint-room.

`The bristle and steel brushes or fans are very expensive, and requireperiodical renewals, and are-'also inefficient in their operation whencotton isI in its bestcondition for ginning, for reasons hereinafterstated. The invention consists, first, in afan or sawcleaner madeofleather or other flexible mate-v. 4 rial,havingiholes of a circularorot-her suita- .fble shapeifpunched out along its length in a linepreferably about iiveeighths ot' an inch from its outer edge, said holesbeing larger in diameter than the thickness of the saws and the-lintupon said saws. From each of these @holes to ther-"outer edge of the fana slit is cut,

leaving the entire edge of the fan uninterrupted, excepting that on theside of the fan which iirstf comes in contact with the saws cach edgeofthe slit is beveled, preferablyto `a feather-edge, as shown in Figs. 4and 5f Second, in a novel mode of attaching these `fans orV saw-cleanersto the ribs which are 'secured to the cylinder on which" they revolve. yy' Third, in a brushing or fanning cylinder provided with this peculiarform of fan or cleaner. In the drawings, A represents one of a series ofgin-saws, and B a cylinder placed at the back o f the saws upon theshaft C, which is journaled in the main frame of the machine. A numberof ribs, floats. orights, D, are secured to the perimeter ofthe cylinderB, to each ofwhich ribs a strip, F,.of leather or. other suitableflexible materia-l, is fastened..

nnirnfnsmrnsj Partnr; operon win lining cnice, on on'itnnorrn, nonrncAnoLmA.

.IMPRL-QVEMENT VIN SAW-'CLEANERS FOR COTTON-ems.

Speciiicationforming part of Letters ,Patent No. 220,957, dated October28, 18795 application filed September 9, 1878;

This strip projects radially beyond the rib D an inch or more, and hasholes of a circular or other shape punched clear through it a shortdistance beyond the rib D, and a single cut or slit clear through the'strip from said holes outward. Onthe front or striking side of thestripsF the sides of these slits or cuts are beveledto nearly' or quitea feather-edge, to facilitate the passage between these edges of thesaws, which are thus wiped and cleared of all adhering matters. v

The strips or fans F are secured-to the sides of the nights or ribs D bymeans of strips E, of sheet metal or other rigid suitable material,running the entire length of the ribs and fans, to prevent thestretching atany given point of the leather or other material of whichthe fans F are made, and also to give the firm support required by saidfans at this point to give them the necessary elasticity. These strips Eare, together with the strips F, closely and firmly secured to the ribsD bymeans of nails,

screws, tacks, rivets, bolts, or other suitable fastenings. Thisconstruction also prevents the strips F from being torn away by therapid revolution of the cylinder B, and also by the friction of theginniug-saws exerted on said strips F'when in motion.

The operation of the fans or cleaners is as follows: The cylinder B,provided with these fans and revolving toward the saws, but at agreatervelocity, presents the fans with the beveled edges of the slitstoward them. As soon as the slit strikes the saw its closed jaws areforced open, and, as long as they engage thesaw, hold it elasticallybetween them, lifting off the lint or cotton and deliverin git into thelint-room, and at the same time wiping off any moisture or gunimysubstance deposited upon the saws by the cotton when unripe or damp.When the fan has passed its point of contact `with the saws the jaws ofthe slit close by their own elasticity, their free movement bein gpartly due to the circular openings spoken off. The movement isanalogous to that of the human lips. This action also has a tendency tokeep the saws sharpened up to a needlepoint- -a very important fea-turein saws of this type.

The constant and thorough cleansing of the saws by the strips F enablesmachines in which they are used to ginl cotton, no matter what may beits condition, and without the necessity of frequent stoppage.

It is to be noted that during the operation of ginning a large amount ofelectricity is geuerated by the great velocity of the numerous saws usedin a cotton-gin, which is discharged from them and absorbed or retainedby the cotton in the seed-box, through which the saws pass, to be fedwith the lint, which is then attached to the seed; and when thisseed-cotton is in such a state to admit of being ginned and the lintdischarged with a bristle brush, it is rendered more harsh and brittlewith the absorption of the electrical iluid than it is in its normalcondition. Hence the saws, runnin g at their requisite velocity, breakthe fiber into unequal lengths and shorter than as it is found on theseed, which lessens its market value; but with my improved fan orcleaner and lintdistributer I gin cotton in a damp condition, whichdampness neutralizes any and all electricity which may be generated,carried, and discharged in said seed-box, thus so toughening andstrengthening the fiber that the saws can drag it from oi the seed inits entire length and present a more silky axy-lookin g sample.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A fan or saw-cleaner for acotton-gin, made of leather or other suitable flexible material, havingholes punched through it along its length at a small distance from itsouter edge, and slits cut from said openings to the outer edge,substantially as described. r

2. A fan or saw-cleaner for a cottongnf' made of leather or othersuitable exible ma terial, having holes of a circular or other fibrinpunched through it along its length at a small r distance from its outeredge, and slits having their edges beveled on the striking side of saidfan or strip cut through it from the said openings to the outer edge,,substantiall y as .de scribed.

3. The fans or cleaners L E, made of leather or other exible or suitablematerial, and secured to the ribs D by means ot' the metallic or otherrigid strips or caps E, and tacks, screws, orother equivalentfastenings, substantially as described.

4. The cylinder B, provided with the ribs D, having the fans or cleanersF, formed with the perforations and slitsinthe manner described, andsecured to said ribs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. t

In testimony whereoflhave signed my naine to this specification in .thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses.

WILLIAM WHITELEY BRIGG.

Witnesses J. W. WILsoN, B. KAUFMAN.

